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"The Touch Of God"
Contributed by Blake Carroll on Aug 25, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: God still touches today.
Title: “The Touch Of God”
Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:20-27
Introduction:
The Word of God is full of instances where He touches people. In fact, where God comes on the scene, things are not the same again. As Christians we need to examine the Scriptures, and come to the realization of what great things the touch of God can do.
I. TRANSFORMS
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
A. The touch of God brings forgiveness of sins to those who repent and believe
1. It brings cleansing to those who yield themselves totally to God
2. It conveys power to those who surrender themselves completely to God’s will
B. The transforming touch of God makes everything new
1. We receive a new life in Christ Jesus
2. We acquire new desires
3. We take in new activities
4. We obtain a new hope of eternal life
II. ORDAINS
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16)
A. Many Christians fail because they do not work for God
1. Some think only ministers are to witness to the unsaved
2. All believers are obligated to win souls to Christ
B. The touch of God ordains all Christians into God’s service and enables every believer to share something for God
1. A smile
2. A prayer
3. A helping hand
Illustration:
The effect of the Christian life lived out in difficult situations is often quite dramatic and forceful in it’s impact to the non-Christian.
III. UNIFIES
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalms 133:1)
A. Many churches fail because their members do not work together; they are divided
1. Some pull in one direction
2. Others pull in another direction
B. The touch of God brings harmony and allows us to accomplish His work in “the unity of the Spirit”
(Ephesians 4:2-3)
IV. CONQUERS
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
A. Many Christians give up too easily
1. They throw up their hands and quit when they are persecuted and rebuked
2. They stop relying on God when they fail to get their own way
B. The touch of God gives us courage to conquer and furnishes the strength to “keep on keeping on” (Philippians 4:13)
V. HEALS
“And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
(Matthew 8:3)
A. Many have never experienced divine healing because a lack of faith
1. We cannot expect to please God without faith
(Hebrews 11:6)
2. We cannot anticipate receiving blessings lacking faith
B. The touch of God brings physical, mental, and spiritual healing
C. We receive God’s touch through reading His Word, praying, believing, accepting, and obeying (Matthew 9:29)
Conclusion:
God still touches today, but some resist His touch just as Israel of old. As believers we should allow God to touch our hearts, rather than resist, because there is no other touch like the touch of God.